Get your grip back with thumb arthritis surgery.

Thumb arthritis refers to degeneration of the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint (sometimes called the basal joint) at the base of the thumb.¹ The CMC joint is formed where the thumb metacarpal bone meets the small wrist bone called the trapezium.¹

References: 1. NHS South Tees Hospitals. Osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal thumb joint. Accessed November 12, 2025. https://www.southtees.nhs.uk/resources/osteoarthritis-of-the-carpometacarpal-thumb-joint/

The carpometacarpal (CMC) joint allows for movements such as pinching, twisting, gripping but that also means it gets more “wear & tear”.² Over time, the cartilage that cushions the joint becomes worn, the joint space may narrow, the bone surfaces may rub, and bony changes such as spurs may develop.² Other risk factors for thumb arthritis include older age, being female (especially post-menopausal), previous surgery or injury and genetics.^1–3

Degeneration of the thumb joint may cause pain, reduced grip strength, joint stiffness and difficulty performing everyday tasks such as opening a jar or turning a car key.^1,2

References: 1. NHS South Tees Hospitals. Osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal thumb joint. Accessed November 12, 2025. https://www.southtees.nhs.uk/resources/osteoarthritis-of-the-carpometacarpal-thumb-joint/ 2. Higginbotham C, Boyd A, Busch M, Heaton D, Trumble T. Optimal management of thumb basal joint arthritis: challenges and solutions. Orthop Res Rev. 2017;Volume 9:93-99. doi:10.2147/ORR.S138809 3. NHS Royal Berkshire. Osteoarthritis of the carpo-metacarpal thumb joint: conservative treatment. Published online January 2024. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/be3n1tj5/osteoarthritis-of-the-carpo-metacarpal-thumb-joint_jan24.pdf

Diagnosis - History & physical exam: Your doctor may ask questions about the history of your thumb pain and its impact on your life.⁴ A physical exam of the thumb may also be done to evaluate the thumb with various clinical tests.⁴

Imaging: Your surgeon may request X-rays of the hand and thumb base.⁸

Treatment - Non-surgical (conservative) treatments

Your doctor may recommend conservative (nonsurgical) treatments before considering surgery.⁵ This may include:

- Activity modification to reduce pressure on the thumb joint³
- Splinting to support the thumb during painful activities³
- Exercises to strengthen muscles that stabilise the thumb base³
- Medication for pain relief and/or anti-inflammatory medications³

Intra-articular injections of certain drugs (e.g. steroids) into the CMC joint could provide temporary relief from inflammation and pain.⁶

^{References: 1. NHS South Tees Hospitals. Osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal thumb joint. Accessed November 12, 2025. https://www.southtees.nhs.uk/resources/osteoarthritis-of-the-carpometacarpal-thumb-joint/
2. Higginbotham C, Boyd A, Busch M, Heaton D, Trumble T. Optimal management of thumb basal joint arthritis: challenges and solutions. Orthop Res Rev. 2017;Volume 9:93-99. doi:10.2147/ORR.S138809
3. NHS Royal Berkshire. Osteoarthritis of the carpo-metacarpal thumb joint: conservative treatment. Published online January 2024. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/be3n1tj5/osteoarthritis-of-the-carpo-metacarpal-thumb-joint_jan24.pdf
4. Normand M, Tang TS, Brismée JM, Sobczak S. Clinical evaluation of thumb base osteoarthritis: A scoping review. Hand Ther. 2021;26(2):63-78. doi:10.1177/17589983211002560
5. Poole Hospital NHS. Osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint. Published online December 2010.
6. Bhat S, Weeda L, Seth I, Rozen WM. Comparison of Surgical Techniques and Joint Injections for Base of Thumb Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review. J Hand Surg Glob Online. 2025;7(2):212-218. doi:10.1016/j.jhsg.2024.12.005
7. Barrera J, Yao J. Arthroscopic Management of Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Arthritis and Pathology. Hand Clin. 2022;38(2):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.hcl.2021.11.002
8. Moses MJ, Lorentz NA, Ayalon OB, Catalano LW. Carpometacarpal Arthroplasty What’s the Rule of Thumb? Bull Hosp Jt Dis 2013. 2023;81(1):84-90.}

Talk to your doctor: Clearly describe your symptoms such as when and how the pain happens, what tasks you find difficult, any prior thumb/wrist injury, how it's affecting your life.

Talk to your doctor: Clearly describe your symptoms such as when and how the pain happens, what tasks you find difficult, any prior thumb/wrist injury, how it's affecting your life.

Thumb joint replacements (total prostheses) replace the joint entirely with an implant in a more invasive procedure typically reserved for advanced cases. Griplasty is a suture-based suspensionplasty - a less invasive, well-established surgical option that supports the thumb joint using the body's own tissue. For many patients, Griplasty is the recommended first surgical step before considering a prosthetic replacement.